mobile payment

It seems that interest in mobile and wireless payment systems are experiencing a renaissance now that three tech giants are using their clout to get the message across. But while Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay might have their own separate, sometimes mutually exclusive implementations, they all want the same thing: to eventually replace your wallet. Now a new card is aiming to replace all three as well. Stratos is a new "connected" payment card that is almost as smart as your smartphone.

Today, PayPal is announcing their acquisition of Paydiant, a startup that produces mobile payment technology found in use with a variety of companies. Capital One and Subway are two notable clients, but one that might be more familiar to tech enthusiasts is CurrentC. Paydiant provides technology to Current C, the product of MCX, which is widely pointed to as the reason Apple Pay hasn’t seen a wider rollout. Terms of PayPal’s deal were not disclosed, but it looks like more than an intellectual property grab.

First Apple Pay, then Samsung Pay, and now Android Pay. Google's Sundar Pichai has confirmed a new mobile payments system is in the pipeline, not just an app like Google Wallet, but a full service on which other companies would be free to build their own payments system. It's also being created with more than just NFC in mind, Pichai said, though the near-field technology for "tapping" to pay is likely to be the first way Android Pay payments will be made.

You’ve heard of Apple Pay, you’ve heard of Google Wallet, but now there’s Samsung Pay, the South Korean company’s take on mobile payments. Debuting as a feature update on the new Samsung Galaxy S 6 and Galaxy S 6 edge later in 2015, Samsung Pay’s claim to greatness is that not only does it use NFC for transactions, as per Apple Pay, but that it can emulate a traditional card for use with older cash registers. Confused? Don’t fret; we’ve got you covered after the cut.

At Google I/O in May, we’re likely going to see a lot of software-centric things for the crowd of Developers packed into Moscone West in San Francisco. Though it’s all about the Devs, Android users will still get insight on what’s in the pipeline. Part of the keynote and overall discussion will likely surround Google Wallet, which recently found its footing with carriers as Google acquired ‘technology’ from Softbank. A new report details that Google Wallet may soon have company in the form of Android Pay.

Google Wallet has a long, intriguing past as a mobile payments provider. Recent news that Google was purchasing ‘technology’ from Softcard, a mobile payments startup founded by carriers to combat Wallet, only made their option more interesting to us. Though we’re not privy to the ins and outs of what the deal entails, we are learning that Windows Phone wasn’t invited to the party, as Google/Softcard have dropped the platform. There’s no evidence iOS is affected in any significant way, so this is an offensive on Windows mobile.

Two weeks ago, a report emerged that Samsung was looking to work a mobile payments processor into the Galaxy S6. LoopPay was alleged to be the system Samsung was leaning on. At the time, we collectively logged it into the memory bank as something that was plausible, and smart, but ultimately needed confirmation from Samsung before it was truly believable. Though we obviously don’t know what the Galaxy S6 has in store for us, Samsung just announced they purchased LoopPay.

As is always the case, Samsung's next flagship is portrayed with almost godlike powers and the Galaxy S6 is no different. Perhaps aside from the fact that it might not be running on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 810. In addition to dual curved edges and a new "stationary" fingerprint sensor instead of a swipe-based one, now the smartphone is rumored to have one more special feature. If the information is accurate, the Galaxy S6 will be the first to bear Samsung's new mobile payment system, that is rumored not to rely on NFC.

Tim Cook expects 2015 to be “the year of Apple Pay”. Saying thier mobile payment option is “off to a very strong start”, the Apple CEO noted that 750 banks and credit unions are Apple Pay partners, now. Cook also let loose another bombshell statistic: Apple Pay accounts for two-thirds of all contactless payments using Visa, American Express, or MasterCard. Furthermore, mobile payments at Whole Foods have increased 400% on the back of Apple Pay. Other retailers are experiencing similar success with the platform.

Apple Pay is coming to the vending machine. In a deal struck with USA Technologies, Apple Pay will be available for around 200,000 self-serve payment terminals, including vending machines. Among the things you might find Apple Pay used with are coffee brewers, unmanned kiosks, laundry machines, pay-to-park terminals, or “other self-serve appliances”. The feature will be immediately available on machines running USA’s ePort cashless payment point-of-sale system, while others will need to be retrofitted with the proper hardware to accept Apple Pay.